Nationality

[KingKonk]

What would be the nationality of a baby born on a ship in the middle of the ocean?
Does it simply take on the nationality of its parents - no matter where it is born?

[southerngirl]

I believe that the baby takes on the father's nationality.

[sparkles2006]

I was always lead to believe that the parents have options here . They could if they chose take the nationality of the ship or the waters that they are in or obviously the parents nationality .

[Pippa68]

It appears that the baby takes on the parents nationality 'by descent' eg if a British woman has a baby on a ship the baby will be British by descent. In the past I have read an article about this, which mentioned the child having to live in the parents country for a number of years to gain proper citizenship.

I will have to try & find the source of my info, and it may well be incorrect now!

[sense4all]

My MIL was born on a ship off the coast of South Africa it took years to get her a kosher passport sorted out even though she was on a British military hospital ship.

[Dassie]

I think it will depend on whether the ship is in "International waters" or is in a Country's "Territorial waters" I think if it's the latter you would have a case for dual nationality.